Dictionary of Music - Birding America

198 Italian overtureas – = notes).Italian overture(two sixteenth notes equal two eighthSee under OVERTURE.Italian sixth An augmented sixth chord containingonly the augmented sixth and the third above thebass (see SIXTH CHORD).Ives (īvz), Charles, 1874–1954. An Americancomposer, now recognized as one of the most originaland advanced composers of his time. A prosperousinsurance broker, Ives never depended on musicfor his livelihood. He began composing in his teens,first studying music with his father (a bandmaster)and then more formally at Yale University. Most ofhis many works were not performed until after hehad stopped composing, about 1930, when he retiredfrom business. Ives won the 1947 Pulitzer Prize inmusic for the third of his four numbered symphonies,which he had written in 1904, and thefourth was not performed in full until 1965. Hisgenius lay in combining a true expression of Americantradition with daring experiments. On the onehand he quoted American hymns, popular songs,dance tunes, and marches, employing many of theconventional tonal forms of nineteenth-centurymusic. On the other, he used such devices as conflictingrhythms and keys at the same time(polyrhythm and polytonality), dissonant harmonies,tone clusters, microtones, and optional voice-parts.Of his many works, the best known include his foursymphonies, Concord Sonata for piano, ThreePlaces in New England for orchestra, The UnansweredQuestion for a chamber ensemble of stringsand winds, and A Symphony: Holidays. He alsowrote four violin sonatas, piano works, string quartets,numerous songs, and choral music.